Assassin's Loss
by Zeon of the Twilight Blade
Summary: She KNOWS how I feel, she must...How could she?
1. Chapter 1

Assassin's loss

A/N: Muse tells me to write, I write, simple enough, this one is about everybody favorite assassin Jaffar, slightly AU I'm sure, and I suppose it has spoilers if you haven't played the game, but if you haven't, what are you doing here?

--------------------  
Chapter one - Loss  
--------------------

I couldn't believe it, _"How could you? How could you Nino?"_ I thought to myself, as I watched her kiss him.

I shook my head, _"Couldn't you see? Couldn't see how I felt about you?"_

A pressure came onto on my chest, and uneasy, breathless feeling that makes me feel weak, _"I have to get out of here."_

I walked back to my tent and grab my pack, which is mostly filled with knives for all occasions, I also pack a few elixirs.

I quietly snuck out of my tent and disappeared into the night, certain that none cold have followed me.

That was three days ago, the feeling is still in my gut, just as strong as before, and every time I close my eyes I see her face near his and I have to open them so I don't see her kiss him again.

I'm sitting in an alley; I haven't spoken to any of the group since I left, and I helped in killing the dragon, so who needs me now? Now that the world is at peace again where does a killer fit in?

I've had no friends other than her…no one from the Black fang even talked to me, of course my own silence had never helped things, nor did my reputation.

But for her, I had started to open up, for her I was willing to bare my soul.

I reach into my pocket and withdraw a small pendant, the chain stained by the blood of a previous owner; I look at it closely before returning it to my pocket.

"I'll hold onto it…until you are ready…" 

My own words echoed in my mind, I felt bad for taking it in the first place, now the desire to get rid of it made me feel even worse.

I sigh, trying to think of some way, some way I can make you mine, but I know you would never feel anything for me, a cold blooded killer.

"I knew I'd find you somewhere." I heard a familiar voice say from one side of the alley, it was the cheerful voice of Matthew.

When talking to me his cheerful voice always held resentment under the surface, it's understandable of course, I killed the woman he loved, and sometimes I wondered why he has chosen to let me live.

I looked up at him, he was dressed in the garb of an assassin as well, though he was not as strong as me, he was much faster, and if he came to kill me then he might actually have a chance of success.

It's not like I really care, Right now I'd welcome death.

"You were are to track I'll give you that…" Matthew says quietly, "I almost didn't notice you leave."

"What do you want?" I say shortly to him, if he wants to kill me then I'd like him to spare me the preamble.

"You are a real moron Jaffar…I mean really, I've got an excuse, My woman is dead, but yours is still alive…" Matthew says sitting across from me, there is a quiet anger in his voice as he says his woman is dead.

I look away from him, "You don't know the full story…I saw her…"

Matthew interrupts me, "With another man? The only reason she would pick someone else is because they had the guts to tell her."

"She should know…" I say quietly, Matthew's presence getting on my nerves.

Matthew rolls his eyes, "Girls are not physic Jaffar, and they need us to let them know how we feel… I wish I had told Leila before her death."

He doesn't come right out and say it, but I know he has not forgiven me; it's hidden deep inside his demeanor.

"Why are you helping me Matthew…I killed her…you know that…" I say quietly looking him in the eye again, I don't know what I'm trying to accomplish, but his attitude bothers me, why does he give a damn?

"Jaffar, I've been dead inside for a long time now…when I learned it was you that killed her…I was furious…I wanted nothing more than to end your life…but as time went on…as I watched you…and as I watched Nino…I thought more and more about my own situation…" Matthew says, keeping eye contact with me, "You two tip toeing around each other…pretending to just be friends…The way you protected her, even when there were five times the people against you…Yeah Jaffar…you took a loved one from me…but if I killed you, I'd be putting Nino through the same thing…"

I looked away, there were no lies were being told, he was telling me the truth, there was pain in his eyes, but other than that, nothing but the truth.

"We are all going to be at Eliwood's castle for a party in two weeks, you really should tell her, if you don't you will regret it for the rest of your life." He said as he got up and started out the end of the alley.

"Thanks…" I mumble.

He stops, not looking back, "I don't want your thanks, I just want you to use what I've told you." And with that he was gone, disappearing like we assassins are prone to do.

I sigh, withdrawing the pendant from my pocket once again, _"I should return this…if nothing else…I owe her that…"_

I stood up and walked to the end of the alleyway, _"Well it's a long walk to Eliwood's castle…better get moving…"_

_----------------------------- _

"Okay kids, I want input, and not only that, I want to know which guy you think should be Nino's suitor, I didn't drop a name in this chapter so I'm leaving it up to you guys.


	2. Chapter 2

Assassin's Loss

A/N Well From my reviews so far the winner of the Nino's other suitor contest is Erk, Who was exactly who I was thinking of for the part, but if I get some other people then I might have it be someone else, you still have a couple chapters yet.

I also got someone to hate me, don't worry, I intend everything to end up nice in the end…Maybe…

Personally I am a NinoxJaffar fan too.

Will I put them together? …You will have to read to find out.

---------------------------

Chapter 2 – Difficulty

---------------------------

I walk along the path towards Eliwood's castle, nighttime is setting in as the sun sinks into the horizon, the journey is normally difficult for a lone traveler. There are many horror stories about people getting attacked by brigands and out of work mercenaries looking for a quick buck.

Of course, that has no affect on me, I fear no man and I'm used to fighting large groups on my own, although fighting with backup so much recently may have rusted my skills, and without Mark and his ability to see the whole battlefield and give directions to us most likely spoiled me a little as well.

"Who we got here?" I hear the voice come from in front of me near a tree.

"Please…I'm on my way to see my grandpa…d-don't hurt me…" this voice is one of a young female.

"Well…I suppose we could let you pass…for the right price…" Another male voice says.

"H-how m-much?" The girl says, the fear evident in her voice.

"Oh…it's not a question of how much… it's a question of what…" The first voice says, tone sinister.

"Ah…P-please…n-no d-don't." Panic is building in the female voice.

I hear a dagger draw.

"_Damn it…" _I think to myself, there had been a time when I could have just kept walking, ignoring the girl's plight, but that time ended when I met Nino.

The girl screams and a loud "clang" sound echoes into the night, it is the sound of the man's dagger clashing against mine.

"W-What! Where the hell did you come from!" the man jumps from my sudden appearance.

The other man looks equally shocked as he draws his sword, "Hey! We found her! Get your own hussy loser!"

The first man, who appears to be a common thief finally recognizes me, "Y-You is that assassin from the black fang! The price on you's head 's worth much more than that girl!" He shouts, whistling into the night, I hear the sound of footsteps in all directions

"Shit…" I whisper to myself, the girl behind me had fainted.

I quickly look around to see that I'm surrounded by eight men, a large man bearing a large sword looks down at me, "Well, hello little man, I've heard much about you…" He says to me, he is over twice my size; I look up at him, "Are you the leader of this outfit?"

The man smiles a dark smile, "Why yes I am, we are the Gerinji Brotherhood."

"Stupid name." I reply quietly, I am merely biding my time, as I speak I am sizing up every weakness of my opponents.

The large man glares at me, "You know you are a dead man?"

"Death cannot die." I reply as my hands drift down towards my daggers.

The man holds his sword out at me, "You don't stand a chance."

His sword is really a masterwork, a large claymore that reminds me of Durandal, Eliwood's legendary sword, a normal man would not be able to wield such a large blade but this man seems to have excellent control over the massive blade.

"…" The look in the man's eyes is dark, cold, and without emotion, the same look is in mine.

A man to my left coughs and I send a dart at his head, hitting him right between the eyes and felling him, the other all start to rush me at once, an axe flies right next to my face and it's owner is stabbed by my right hand dagger, a sword narrowly misses my back as I spin the dagger out of the axe wielder and put my left dagger into the swordsman's neck, three spell casters stand in a line and start to chant, I reach into my dart pouch and toss three darts from it, all but one of the mages fall, the last one sends a fireball at me, hitting my arm.

"DAMN IT!" I slice the Mage in the neck with my good arm and look at the remaining forces,

There are two men left, the leader and the first man I heard talking to the girl.

I am now covered in blood from their slain comrades.

The first man is shaking in fear; the leader is shaking in anger.

I quickly toss another dart at the first man, dropping him nicely.

"YOU BASTARD!" The leader shouts at me swinging his sword on a wide arc.

I duck under the blade and rush towards, he spins and brings the sword down overhead, I dodge to the side with a spin, my dagger plunging deep into his neck.

"Ghghg…" He lets out a gargle as he falls to the ground dead, his mighty blade seeming to shake the ground as it falls from his grasp.

"Hm." They were much less dangerous than I thought they would be, but I suppose I may have gotten lucky, I looked back at the girl, she was now awake and shaking, "W-who are you?"

"…My name is not important, Where were you headed?" I didn't really care to stay any longer, the girl point back into the town I just came from an hour ago.

"Be more careful." I say sheathing my dagger and reaching into my sack for an elixer to repair my arm.

"Thank you…" the girl says softly.

"No problem…" I reply without looking at her.

I hear her get up and start towards one of the mages, she takes a book off of his corpse before moving on down the path.

"Magic users are a dime a dozen nowdays…" I mumble as I continue down my path, hoping I won't have to deal with any other fights.

---------------------

What was that?

Time waster chapter?

Pointless action?

A chance to see a really badass Jaffar?

An intro to a new character?

Will she be back?

You decide, and remember, Who will be Nino's other suitor?

The polls are still open.


	3. Chapter 3

Assassin's Loss

A/N Well, I love the reviews I'm getting and so far pretty much everyone says that Erk should be Nino's Other suitor, so who am I to argue?

-----------------------------------------------------------

Chapter 3- Out of the frying pan and into the fire

-----------------------------------------------------------

I walked for another hour, night was setting in even more, and I could barely see the path in front of me, reluctantly I finally sit down next to a large rock to sleep for a few hours.

My dream is the same one I've had ever since I saw them, I hear what he says, I hear how she responds, I watch her kiss him, the pain of seeing that washes over me once again, the cold feeling that went down my spine the second she moved forward to kiss him.

The rage that he would take her from me like that, enraged at him, enraged at Mark for splitting us up so often.

My sleep was so deep that it was almost like I was actually reliving the moments than just dreaming them; I didn't notice anyone surrounding me, didn't hear the footsteps, and didn't feel a thing until someone slashed my arm.

The flaming pain woke me up the see myself staring an angry looking  
man in the face, his sword to my neck.

"You bastard…" He says in a low tone, "You bastard…kill my brother …"

I hold my arm and stare up at him, even I'm at a huge disadvantage here, I take a deep breath and ignore the pain in my arm, "Do you mean that guy who attacked me with the big sword?" I say in a calm voice.

For this he slashes my other arm, I don't cry out, I refuse to give him that satisfaction, "Yeah, that's the one." He replies in a cocky voice.

My eyes scan the area, there are not many men with him, and he would be easier than his brother to dispatch if he hadn't gotten the jump on me.

"Tell me, how does it feel to be in this bad of shape Mr. Angel of Death?" He says, his rage was mixed with a cocky feeling of being the one with the upper hand.

"…" I say nothing, waiting for him to drop his guard.

He holds the sword to my neck again, "It was too easy, and here I thought you people could hear things like people sneaking up on you."

"I was a little busy." I reply, voice still calm.

He laughs, "Well, it just cost you your life."

He quickly raises his sword about to bring it down across my chest when a lightening bolt came down and shocked him.

He looked around, "What the hell!" He shouted into the air before spotting someone, it was the girl that I had saved, "You!" He shouts, getting back up while grabbing his sword off the ground beside him.

He starts towards her, calling for his friends, at take this moment to make my move, despite my wounds I pull my daggers out and slice the man's back open, he falls to the ground in a bloody heap.

I looked at the other two men; they were frozen in fear for a moment, before they ran off

I looked at the girl, "…"

"Yeah you better run!" She shouts at them, waving her fists in the air.

I stare at the back of her head for a moment, her cloak is pure white, you would thing she was a cleric, but the make was that of a sage.

She turned and looked back at me, "Uh…Well…I guess I have some explaining to do huh?"

I say nothing, I just stare at her, She has flame red hair that hangs near her shoulders and blue eyes.

"Well…you see…after you saved me I got into town and went to the bar where my grandpa was…but he was dead before I got there…" A flicker of sadness ran across her face, "So…I ordered a drink…and the bartender and I started talking…he said I looked a little rough and I told him about what happened on the road…"

I watched her tell the story, my gaze unwavering she looked very uncomfortable.

"So…ah…well…you see…there was this guy…and he heard what I said…and he didn't seem to happy about it so I followed him out of the bar and…"

I sighed and finished for her, "He gathered up a posse to hunt me down and you tail him all the way here to help me out right?"

She nodded slowly, still nervous around me, most people who see me at work are after all.

"Well…thank you." I say calmly, standing up to leave.

"Hey! You are still wounded!" She shouts at me, walking next to me she pulls out a heal rod and uses it on my arms.

"…Thanks…" I say, before starting to walk again.

"So uh…where are you going?" She asks in a curious voice.

"…" I consider if I should tell her or not, it was a long journey and if she wanted to come she would probably slow me down, but I gave in, "Phaere, Lord Eliwood's castle…" I reply quietly.

She is silent for a moment, "So…you want some company?"

"…" I walk a few steps before saying, "If you want to tag along then tag along, but try to keep up."

"Not very friendly are you Mr. Angel of Death?" She says, seeming to be trying to break the ice.

"Jaffar." I say.

"What?" She asks, confused at my meaning.

"Jaffar is my name, not Mr. Angel of Death." I say shortly.

"Oh…Okay then, my name is Jennica." The girl says, bowing her head a little.

"Alright, just try to keep up." I say as I walk along the path.

"Why are we walking at night again?" She asks.

"Because those two will probably tell others, we need to get somewhere safe…"

"Oh…great…" She mumbles.

---------------------

A/N: SSSHHHEEEEEE'SSSS BBAAACCKKKKK…

Well, a few reviewers gave me a few ideas and gave me even more reason to work at this story, ha ha, this one may go longer than I had expected!

Anyway, reviews always welcome, Suggestions are great, and vote on Ninox? Even though Erk seems to be winning by a landslide.


	4. Chapter 4

Assassin's Loss

A/N I'm back for another round

Oh, and one of you reviewers asked if Nino married Erk or Jarrar at the end of the game, and the answer is…

It can be either, depending on your Support convos.

---------------------------------------------------

Chapter 4- The Problems with companions

---------------------------------------------------

First of all some of them won't shut up; nothing is more annoying than a companion that won't leave you alone.

That is the problem I've found with Jennica, once she seemed sure I wasn't going to kill her and leave her in a bloody heap she started talking…

"_So…why are we headed to Pheae?"_

"_I need to see someone."_

"_Who?"_

"_A…friend…"_

"_Girlfriend?"_

"…"

"_Ohhhhhh…it's a girlfriend!"_

"…"

"_So even cold hearted killers fall in love huh?"_

"…"

"_So who is the lucky la-"_

"_-Shut up!"_

…And talking…

"_So what made you the way you are?"_

"_I was born this way."_

"_You mean you never had any emotion or qualms with killing?"_

"_Yep."_

"…_So were you always this friendly?"_

"_Yes…"_

"_Wow….so-"_

"_Quiet!"_

….And talking…

"So who taught you all those moves?" 

"_Black fang Assassins."_

"_Wow, tough trainers, so what did your parents think of that?_

"_I have no parents."_

"Oh…Sorry…" 

"_I just really don't want to talk. Please shut up."_

"…"

But I can understand her curiosity; most people who don't fear me wonder about me, Nino had been the same way, always asking questions, and it bugged me a little with her, but this girl, it bugs me a lot.

We had been walking an hour since the skirmish; there is a large cave up ahead.

I point at it, "We'll sleep in there."

"Alright…" she says with a sigh.

I look back, her head is downcast and she seems huffy.

"What?" I ask in an irritated tone.

"Nothing." She huffed, pushing past me into the cave.

The next problem with companions, they get moody unless you treat them just right, I can't even remember the number of people in Eliwood's little group I pissed off, but I'd say most of them would not be very concerned about me if I died.

I followed her into the cave; she had picked a spot near the back of the cave and was gathering a bunch of sticks to make a fire.

She dropped them all and shot a fireball at them, the blaze started without trouble.

She huffed and plopped against a wall, she shivered a bit.

I take off my cloak and offer it to her, "Here."

She looks up at the cloak, then at me, "Keep it."

I toss it on the ground in front of her and sit down on the other side of the fire from her.

After a moment she picked the cloak up and wrapped it around herself.

"Thanks." She says quietly.

"Welcome." I say in return, watching the flames dance and flicker.

"Jaffar…?" she asks in a soft, maybe somewhat scared tone.

"Yeah?" I ask, trying to be a little less of a jerk to her.

"Why did you save me? I mean…you really had no reason to…" She says quietly, the question had probably been knawing at her for a while.

"…There was a time when I would have kept on walking, and I would have ignored your plight…but when I met Nino…the girl that I'm going to meet, she cared for me when I was hurt…even though it was against the code…she is the reason I have a soul…"

Jennica sighed, "Wow…she must be really important to you…"

"She is…but…she…seems to love someone else…" I say, my eyes downcast, I was shocked that I admitted that to her.

"Why would she go and do that? It sounds like you've been through a lot together…" He voice is concerned for someone who was mad at me just moments ago.

"Yeah…yeah I've been asking myself the same question…" I say, almost to myself.

"I've…never been lucky with love." She sighs and looks right into the flames, "My father…was a brigand…and not a very savory person…and several things happened to me in my youth that I prefer not to remember…"

I listened silently, but intently.

"Well from there…I didn't really have a good mindset for dating…so I buried myself in studies…of course I gave them my all, and that's why I know all forms of magic…"

She pauses and I take in what she just said, _"She knows all forms of magic, just like that old man Althos…"_

"Anyway…a few guys tried to come onto me a couple times over my life…but I always brushed them off…" She shook her head, "Sorry for boring you, I've never told anyone all that before…it kinda slipped…oops." She blushed a little.

I nodded, "It's alright."

I sighed and started to drift off to a light sleep, glad that I had stopped to save her, if I hadn't she would have been put through more pain, and while there was a time I wouldn't have cared, that time had passed.

"Really…it's amazing she is so well mannered…most people that go though that have a lot more trouble than she seems too…but then again…never know what's just below the surface."

_-------------------------_

_This chapter is a bit short, but I felt I needed to get something out there…_

_Need another fight scene soon too…_

_Anyway, I'll take some votes on what pairings you want to see, if you feel like telling me._


	5. Chapter 5

Assassin's loss

---------------------------------------

Chapter 5 – Someone to protect

---------------------------------------

"_I couldn't just leave you"_

"_I'll hold if for you…until you are ready…"_

"_I barely remember her face…"_

"_Thank you…you are my best friend…"_

The words from our past together haunted my mind as I slept, though I wanted too, I couldn't wake up.

I felt someone shaking me, "Jaffar…Jaffar. Jaffar!"

I slowly opened my eyes, it was Jennica, "What…?

"We're surrounded Jaffar, More Mercs!" The look on her face was desperate, I took it that there were several enemies to deal with.

I got up and equipped my daggers quickly, backing up with her behind me, hiding in the shadows.

"Sweep this place guys! This Bastard is gonna pay for what he's done! Flush em' out!" A voice shouted out, it was the leader's voice obviously.

I held my hand up for Jennica to see, as a sign for her to keep quiet, she understood and we backed up a little further.

. I could hear more merc voices, it sounded like there were over twenty of them, I figred they had probably rallied some greedy towns people looking for a quick buck to try and capture me.

"…" Jennica was quiet behind me, most likely trying to come up with a plan.

I found myself wishing that Mark were with me; a tactician would be very useful in our current situation.

"They out number us…" I heard Jennica say to me quietly.

"I've fought worse…" I mumbled quietly.

"I'm sure, but your daggers... they are almost broken." I looked at the ones I had with me, all of them did have quite a lot of wear on them.

"Damn it…" I breathed.

The footsteps from in front of the cave were approaching slowly.

The men had torches and it seemed they were really dedicated to the idea of finding us.

"This way Jaffar." Jennica whispered, I looked at her; she had found a narrow path in the side of the cave wall.

She turned sideways and started through it; I waited for a moment and then started after her.

We both got to the other side just before the men waved a torch where we had been, our current position was nothing but inky blackness.

I looked through the small path to spy on the hunters.

"Nothing here boss, it's a dead end." A man with an axe said, he was wearing very light armor, it first glance I had pegged him as a berserker, but after a moment I realized he didn't look quite like any axe fighter I'd ever seen, even Hector, this guy had a unique stance, and his axe looked special, unlike any I'd ever seen as well.

Another man walked in front of the path, I got a glimpse of his weapon and could tell it was a lance, but that was all I could identify except he had on white armor, polished to a shine, "Well, they have to be here somewhere. Post a couple sentries here, let's look around the cave some more with the rest of the group." This was not the man I heard shouting before, he had sounded like just another low life, but this one was soft spoken and had an air in his voice, like that of a nobleman.

A couple men took the places of the other two, and I looked at Jennica, she had her back against the wall and was sweating a bit.

"Are you alright?" I ask simply.

She looked at me and nodded, "Yeah, That was really close…that's all."

"Yeah…" I looked through the narrow path again, I could see the guards were both lance users, and it would be nearly impossible for me to slip through the part and take them out, without getting myself impaled.

"We have to find a way out." I say quietly, my voice monotone.

"Tell me something I don't already know smart guy." Jennica says, her voice sarcastic.

"Let's move, before they here us." I respond, ignoring her remark.

She nods and I start to walk she follows close behind me.

It's not long before we are out of hearing distance of the sentries, I saw Jennica looking around the cavern.

"This place is a lot bigger than it looks…" She says quietly, most likely to herself.

"We're underground by now, and caves can stretch for miles sometimes underground." I say in response.

"You're right…so what direction are we headed?" She asks, knowing I have a compass.

I pull it out and look at it closely, "We're headed North…towards Pheae…"

"Well…good, hopefully we can find an exit."

I nod and start walking again.

She follows at my side now rather than behind me.

"You know…ever since you rescued me, seems like my whole life has gotten confusing as Hell…" She says playfully.

"…" I say nothing in return, not in the mood to play mind games.

"…And you are about as communicative as a rock…"

I say nothing again, hoping that she will just wear herself out.

"…Not to mention you seem to have a tangent for getting yourself in trouble and dragging everyone around down with you…"

She pauses thoughtfully.

"But you know…even though it took me being almost molested…again…I'm glad I had a chance to meet you." She says the last part a little more quiet than she had said the rest.

I look at her, mildly surprised, "Why?"

"Ohhhh, NOW you wanna talk to me? No sir mister, I'm going to play the quiet card on YOU now." She grins at me.

"Why would anyone be happy to meet me?" I ask again.

She says nothing, keeping her eyes ahead with a serious look on her face, obviously mocking me.

"…" I give up on talking, she is obviously out to mess with my mind.

"_Yet another new side to the multi-faced girl Jennica…Jennica the mind screwer…" _I think to myself sarcastically,

The path seems to stretch on forever in front of us.

-------------------------------------

A/N: Hmmmm…is there anybody out there that really cares about this fanfic I wonder?

If I were to just stop and leave everybody hanging would you all hate me?

Hmm…Well if you do like the story, Please review, and I'll be more likely to keep writing, I enjoy this story, but I'm not writing just for me, I'm writing for every Jaffar fan in the world who reads fan fiction.

Any, in a couple reviews I have people asking is this going to be JaffarxNino or JaffarxJennica

…I have no idea.

So far everyone has said they want it to be JaffarxNino.

Now personally, I've never been a big fan of OC's, most of them just don't quite fit, and normally pairings with them are either to damn perfect or just "off"

But now that I have a story with an OC in it I kinda understand how the other writer's with them feel.

I mean, now I don't really think it's fair to say "Jaffar should be with Nino!" When you haven't gotten a good scope on Jennica's character yet, You all know Nino, she was in the game and chances are you got to see the tender moments that made you go "awww" Between her and Jaffar. I know I did and it gave me a warm fuzzy feeling inside, but you haven't given the new girl a chance yet, maybe she could grow on you (Or Jaffar)

Anywho, I will accept votes for who our dear assassin friend should end up with, and other story elements and ideas are always welcome.

Later.


	6. Chapter 6

Assassin's Loss

A/N Back again, joy huh?

----------------------------------------

Chapter 6 – A small reprieve

----------------------------------------

As we continued to walk Jennica continued to ignore me, but it didn't bother me, the silence was somewhat nice actually.

We had walked for a long time, her silence surprised me, but it also gave me time to think.

"_Alright…an exit…we are headed in the right direction…but we still haven't found a way above ground…"_ My thoughts ran together, all planning and strategy on how to get out of the cave

"…Jaffar?" Jennica says beside me, her voice meek like it was when we first met.

"I look to my side, she is looking straight ahead, her eyes forward as we walk.

"What?" I ask, trying not to sound cold to her.

"Can we take a break? I'm…I'm kinda tired…" Her voice is nervous; as if she was concerned I'd be mad at her.

I think for a moment, "Yeah…when we get to a nice spot we'll take a break, we need to regroup anyway."

She smiles, "Really! Thank you Jaffar!" Her voice excited, as if she was a child who had just gotten a new toy.

I blink, "Uh…sure." I say a little confused.

We walk for a while quietly, looking for a nice place to take a break and think.

I look down and start thinking again, more or less watching my feet as I walked, _"If we can walk through the night we will probably not have to worry about them anymore…but I doubt that-"_

"Look Jaffar!" I hear Jennica shout, I look up to see a wide area ahead, with a nice underground spring.

"Can we stop here? Please?"

"This is a good a place as any." I reply, looking for a good place to sit, eventually picking a nicely shaped rock formation.

I watch Jennica walk up to the spring and look at the water, "Looks clean enough…" She says softly.

"It's ground water, chances are it's about as clean as you can get anywhere else." I say to her, putting my head back and staring at the top of the cave.

I hear a slight slurping as I close my eyes.

"That is good." She says after a moment, a slight splashing sound follows, "Whew…"

I open my eyes again and look at her, her face is a little wet for a moment before she dries it on her robe.

She looks over at me, "What now Jaffar?" She asks, her eyes showing faith in my judgment.

I think for a moment, "We still have to find an exit…but if it's dark there is a good chance that we could miss it…we should probably take a break for the night and start as soon as there is light in the morning…I doubt they will pursue us at night anyway."

Jennica smiles, "Whew…I'm glad to hear that, because I'm really tired…"

I nod, "We have been walking for a while…we probably put some distance between us and them."

She looks over at the water, "It's nice and warm, and shallow on this end…"

I blink, not sure what she is getting at.

"…And I think I'm starting to stink…"

Now I understood what she meant, but I stay silent.

"Uh…Jaffar…could you maybe go and…make sure on one sneaks up on us from the way we came? Like…around that corner?"

"…" I got up and walked around the corner, of course she didn't need a guard, she just didn't want to come out and say she was taking a bath and didn't want me to see.

I heard a slight splashing behind me, then louder splashing.

I stare at the path we had walked down to get here, it dark, but no one was coming.

I hear a small sigh behind me in the spring; I roll my eyes a little, wondering how long she was going to take.

I hear her moving around in the water, now she is humming a little tune to herself as she bathed.

The temptation to peek in on her pokes at my mind.

"…What the…?" I mumble, wondering why that came into my mind at all, in my years on this ball of dirt, I had never been temped to look at a woman as anything more than just another target.

When Nino came along, I learned to look at everyone as a PERSON, not just mere potential targets.

But now what the hell is happening? I now know my emotions better than I did before Nino…but this odd feeling in my gut…and the temptation to go watch Jennica in the spring was something…new.

Then again, I had never really traveled alone with someone of the female persuasion for very long.

The only question was, why did I feel like peeking in on Jennica? I mean she is attractive…but-

"What are you doing Jaffar?" He voice is right behind me, somehow I had missed the sound of her getting out of the water, very sloppy of me.

I turn slowly, "I was on look out." I say in monotone.

She giggles a little, seeming to be refreshed enough to go back to being playful, "Well it's your turn now, and I'll stand watch."

"…" I stare back at her silently.

"Go on, if you stink they will be able to find us by smell, c'mon Jaffar." She smiles.

I sigh and move past her and approach the edge of the water, then hesitate.

I look back to see her peeking around the corner at me.

She lets out a little squeak sound and ducks her head around the corner quickly, as if she hadn't expected me to look back.

I smirk a little to myself, it was a little confusing as to why she would be looking at me, but it doesn't matter much to me, I take my dagger out on lay it right beside the pool for easy access if need be.

I slowly take off my clothes and get in the water, in feels comfortable enough, I lean back a little letting it wash over my body.

I swear I hear a giggle behind me, but I write it off as my imagination playing with me.

------------------------

Alright kids, you want Chapters, I want reviews, you make me happy, and I'll make you happy ne?


	7. Chapter 7

Assassins Loss

A/N: Wow, I got some reviews, yippy skippy, thanks everybody…just make sure they keep coming . I see we have some hardcore JaffarxNino Fans in the house; we will have to see how it pans out eh?

Rating note: This one has some mature themes, some rather unpleasant things have happened to Jennica, and if you have a weak stomach, you are going to want to skip her story...So...yeah, fair warning, it leave a lot up to the imagination, but still.

------------------------------------------

Chapter 7 – Just another viewpoint

------------------------------------------

I got out of the spring after soaking in it for a while, I had to admit, I felt…refreshed to say the least.

Jennica came back into the large area of the cave once I was dressed again.

She sat on a rock and looked at me, I was sitting on the ground, leaning up against a different rock.

"Jaffar?" Jennica said softly.

"…Yeah?" I say, not looking towards her, my eyes a bit closed.

"Why…why did they make you an assassin? Why have you gone along with it?" She asked cautiously.

I close my eyes and think for a moment.

"I suppose I was made an assassin…because that is what they felt they needed…why did I not stop?" I think for a bit, trying to find out why I never left.

It wasn't fear of death, I've never been afraid of death.

It hadn't been for anyone special to me, the only special person I'd met in the Black Fang was Nino.

"I suppose…I just had no reason to leave." I say softly, opening my eyes, but still not looking at her.

"But…But they always had you fighting…killing…Jaffar to them you were nothing but a tool…why did you put up with doing things…so wrong?" Her voice is somewhat pleading, as if she really wants to understand my motivation.

I shake my head, "Morality is opinion." I look at her now; she looks a bit confused, "The reason it is wrong to kill, is because that is what we as a society have made it. Who can say that death is so bad? Who can say some people aren't better off dead? No one has ever died and lived to tell about it, and so no one knows what it feels like to be dead."

She stares at me, seemingly enraptured by my speech, I continue, "Why do we praise the beautiful, and shun the ugly? Because society dictates that we should love the beautiful, simply because they are attractive…there are those in the world that are attracted to the obese, and the homely…we brand these people with little names, things that make them 'different' than the rest of us 'normal' people…when the only difference is in opinion."

She seems shocked, hell, I'm shocked, this is definitely more talking than I had done in a long time, like a bunch of observations that I have piled up over my life were just coming out.

"So…the way I see it…my former occupation is merely a difference in opinion as to if killing is right or wrong…now…I'm starting to second guess myself as far as the 'rightness' of killing…I would love to stop…it's a hassle, and I've…really seen to much of it in my life already… but circumstances force me to just keep on killing…it's not like I enjoy it."

"I see…" She says softly, "Well…I…I never looked at it like that…I mean…I've never viewed killing as right…but…if you hadn't killed those men…" She turns away from my gaze.

"Then you would have been raped." She flinches when I say that, and a little feeling of something dropping in my stomach kicks up, I recognize this feeling as guilt, one of my least favorite emotions.

"Sorry…" I mumble.

"It's alright…you are right…that's…exactly what they would have done…then they would have probably killed me…leave me for the animals to feed on." Her voice makes me feel worse, it sounds so empty…it sounds like…it sounds like my voice.

"Jaffar…you…have you ever…done…anything like that?" Her voice is very uneasy, as if she's afraid I'll shout yes, and then try to have my way with her.

I shake my head, "The conquest of the flesh has never been a concern of mine…" I say, my voice also empty, a little saddened by the fact that she really thought I might have done that.

"G-good…" She smiles a little bit, a forced face.

I remembered back in my days in the Black Fang, some of the guys were always trying to get me to "Loosen up", get me drunk, get me laid, get me high on something.

Looking back, I realize they were trying to give me something "Normal" something human, something to make me live for myself for once, rather than just blindly following that witch and her damned boss.

"I'm sorry…I didn't really…think you had…you seem to…you seem to be a good person Jaffar…" She says softly, breaking me from my thoughts.

"Tell that to all the people I've killed…" I mumble to myself more than anything.

"I still remember my first kill…" She says, her voice totally unreadable.

I look at her, my eyebrows raised just a little.

"It…it was my father…as I said…he…did things to me…and…well I guess it screwed me up pretty bad…so many nights…so many…beatings…so many times he…he…" Her voice was starting to crack a bit.

"You don't have to tell me Jennica." I say in monotone, one part of me wants to hear it; the other didn't want her to hurt herself by going through it.

"No…I…I've been holding this inside for so long…I…I need to confess to someone…please…just listen Jaffar…you might be the only one who will really understands…so many look down on people…who have killed." She looks at me, her face set in stone, she seems like she is determined not to cry.

I nod for her to continue.

"I think that he killed mom one night…she was just…she was so beautiful…but at night…I could hear them sometimes, they would yell…and fight…mom would get beaten up and hide it from me in the morning…"

I already knew I hated her father, it reminded me of my trainers actually, so many women were just used by the Black Fang members, at least the sect that I was in, the less Nobel side, used and thrown away.

Until I had met Nino I hadn't cared about anyone, but since she taught me how to feel, I found that there were many things in my past that disgusted me.

"The punch line was…she could have killed him…it would have been so easy for a sage of her caliber, you just cast a sell and end his pathetic existence…but…she never did…she refused to kill him…even though he beat her…" She paused, taking a deep breath.

I wait silently for her to continue her story, I hadn't any idea how tough this girl's life had been from her outward attitude.

"So one night…he just beat her too much…and…she died." She held back tears I could tell, "When he buried her, he seemed…distant…seemed like he found out just a bit to late that he had killed the only good in his life…I was young…but I already hated him for what he had done…mom asked me to forgive him…and I might have…if he had just become good after that…"

Her tears are starting to fall a bit now, "but he didn't…it got worse…he was very quiet for about two weeks, he just sat around and drank…he drank the last of the good in his heart away. He pushed it as far back as he could…filling his heart with all the hate and malice he could to replace the love that mom had given him."

I'm not even sure she is talking to me anymore, the look in her eyes is so far away now, she doesn't seem to be looking at me, but through me.

"So he came to me to fill his NEEDS with me…he never…did anything stupid like get me…preg…" She stops, her tears blurring her vision.

I look away from her a bit, the sight of her crying like that seems hurt even me.

"So after awhile…it just got to be to much for me…once I got to where I could hold a book and cast a few spells without leaving myself to open for attack…I killed him…Got lucky really…but I managed to do it…and what bothered me the most was that I didn't feel a thing…not a twinge of regret at what I did."

I think carefully, wanting to choose my words, "You…were in a no win situation Jennica… No one would blame you for what you did."

She looks away from me, "Mom would…she asked me to forgive him."

"Your mother didn't know what he did to you…" I reply.

She is quiet for a long moment, then she finally nods, "I…guess you are right Jaffar…I…don't know…and I guess I won't until I'm dead…but I feel a bit better now…thank you for listening."

I nod, "No problem…we should probably get some sleep Jennica…tomorrow will be a long day."

"Yeah…I guess you are right…goodnight Jaffar." She says as she curls up near a warmer cave wall.

I lean up against a rock in the field sleeping position that was taught to me by the other Black Fang Assassins, "Goodnight."

-----------

I know what you guys must be thinking, "HOLY OOCNESS! JAFFAR DOESN'T TALK LIKE THAT!"

Well…you are right, in the game he does not, this does not mean he is not capable, we have never seen how Jaffar might react if left alone with one comrade for an extended length of time, and I'm pretty sure he is bright enough that he would be able to observe all the things he said in this chapter.

So yeah, Jaffar is changing a bit, slowly but surely, I hope you guys don't think I'm a hack for all this.


	8. Chapter 8

Assassin's Loss

A/N Nope, I'm not dead, I just needed a nice break from the Fan fiction circuit.

That, and I have a lovely net Girlfriend who is a little distracting, but I love her anyways.

All right kids, with that, I bring you Chapter eight

--------------------------------------------

Chapter 8 – Dreams of an Assassin

--------------------------------------------

There she was again.

There he was again.

It was of course happening again, just as it had every night prior to tonight.

But…

Tonight was different, tonight…I was standing there, and no longer was he talking to Nino, No longer was she accepting him.

Or…was she? Was it Nino? Or was it…?

"Jennica?" I say aloud.

But it's not, it's not Nino, and it's not Jennica, it's both of them, both of them fused into a single body somehow.

And then there is blackness.

There is the thief I struck down, another regular visitor to my dreams, the woman that Matthew was in love with, the woman I killed without a second thought.

But her face, again, it wasn't her, wasn't Leila, but was that strange Nino/Jennica fusion, her face contorted with horror as the knife he held penetrated her neck, scarlet ribbons spraying from it, falling to the ground in what almost seems like slow motion.

The woman falls; blood is on the ground, on me, on my dagger.

And I'm smiling.

-----

I jolt awake, as if seeing a demon reaching for me to kill me in my sleep, but there is nothing around but a still sleeping Jennica, I glance around, there is really no way to tell time, it's still dark out, I can tell that from the holes in the cave, no light besides the moon is shining in.

"What the hell was that…?" I mutter to myself.

Since I young age, I had rarely dreamed, not about the people I killed, not about women, and certainly not about the two of them together.

Since Nino started melting my soul, I'd have a dream from time to time, sometimes good, sometimes bad.

But none like that.

This is the first I'd call a nightmare.

I stand and walk to the spring, washing my face and trying to rid myself of that image, that image of me grinning like someone having the time their lives.

When I killed Leila, I had not smiled, I hadn't smiled for any kill I made, and they were all indifferent to me.

Why did that nightmare show otherwise?

I move back to the place I'd been sleeping, it was still warm from my body heat.

"Guilt I suppose…" I say, thinking aloud, "Guilt for what I have done…and what I fear I will do…"

Jennica stirs, and I feel that I should shut up before I wake her.

"_But what do I have to be guilty about? Besides the people I've already killed? Why would I hurt Nino or Jennica? Why are they in my dreams in the first place?"_ I think.

Nino, makes sense, after all, she had stolen his heart, and ran off with someone else before he had the chance to tell her.

But what about Jennica, how does she fit into it?

I look over at the girl wonderingly, she looks tranquil, serene, peaceful, she certainly doesn't look like a girl who had been molested by her father, lost a mother, and was almost raped less than 36 hours ago.

I barely know her really, but I shutter to think what would have happened to her if I hadn't come along.

Would she have died? Probably, there was no one else on the path, and none of those guys were going to have a change of heart, I could tell that.

Jennica shivers, the cloak I had let her borrow had fallen off her small frame, I get up and put it back on her, then return to my spot.

I sigh, I know I should try to sleep, if I don't I won't be worth a damn in a fight.

But for some reason, the prospect disturbs me; I don't want to see that again.

But a long day, and several hard fights win out, my eyes start to drift closed.

----

I'm in a house, it's not huge, but hardly small either, there are shouts, muffled words from another room, I walk around, trying to figure out just where I am, when I see in the kitchen of the home, a couple, a beautiful woman with long blond hair that reaches past her shoulders, and a red haired man, he has a knife in his hand, he's shouting something, I can't make out, like the whole world is fuzzy to me, the sound inaudible.

The woman is trying to stay calm, the man looks insane with anger, he swings the knife, barely missing the woman's tender looking neck, he follows it up with a punch to her face, knocking her to the ground.

My eyes widen, and I reach for my daggers, when I realize that I have no daggers to reach for.

The man follows her to the ground, the woman says something in protest, and the man raises the knife.

Blood.

Blood everywhere, coming from the woman's soft skin in the middle of her throat, it spills and gushes over the kitchen floor like red paint over an old wall by a lazy painter.

The man looks shocked, shocked at what he has done to her, he stairs at the knife in his hand, and he is shaking.

Another man, a bulky, bandit looking man, comes in and gasps, the men exchange words, and then they carry her out of the house.

I turn and walk out of the room, disgusted at what I have seen, willing myself to wake up, I walk down the hall, my legs seeming to move themselves now, I open a door in the hallway and there is a child.

A small blond child, I know who it is in an instant, a small Jennica, her arms are wrapped around her pillow and she is squeezing it tightly, her eyes trace up to me and she gasps, "What are you doing here!" She shouts, not in a child's voice, but the voice of the woman I've come to know as Jennica.

All at once there is blackness.

All at once I'm awake.

----

I open my eyes and see that Jennica is awake, staring at me with wide-eyed horror, "What were you doing there?" She asks fearfully, "What were you doing in my dream?" her voice is a tremor, she sounds like a child asking about the boggy man.

"I…don't know Jennica…" I mutter, for some reason I feel ashamed, like an intruder, even thought I had no control over where I went when I fell asleep.

She is shaking uncontrollably; she tries to stop and partly succeeds.

"Maybe…I pulled you in…mom and I used to have dreams where we talked…and we both remembered them in the morning…it's a seer power…but never one I mastered…"

"I'm sorry…" I mutter, looking away from her.

"What…did you see there Jaffar…I know you…were down there…what…happened?" She asks, sounding scared, but also wanting to know, "I've had that dream…at least once a week…ever since mom died…but…but I never come out of my room…all I hear is the sounds…"

I shake my head, "Then you know what happens…" I close my eyes; the woman's horror stricken face is burned into my retinas.

"Please…Jaffar…I need to know…" Jennica sobs a little, her eyes tearing up.

"The man…kills the woman…and another man shows up later…and they drag her off…" I say, giving her the short, slightly cleaner version of what I saw.

She regards me for a moment, taking in the shortness of what I said, and how my tone was neutral as I said it, "…Yeah…I thought as much…" She says softly, curling into a ball, her arms wrapped around her legs near her chest, "I…I always knew…"

I stay silent, it is her past she is dealing with, and it's none of my business.

"You should try to sleep a little longer Jennica…we'll both need our strength tomorrow." I say after an extended silence.

"You're right." She says after a moment, turning and laying down against the rock again.

It's not long before she is asleep, and I follow shortly after.

-------------

Again, sorry for being GONE for so long, I'm going to try and pick up the writing trip again.


End file.
